From clinical trials to clinical practice: outcome of NSABP-B27 neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen for high-risk early-stage breast cancer

Purpose Majority of Jordanian breast cancer patients present at a relatively young age and with locally advanced disease highlight the importance of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of NSABP-B27 regimen in high-risk patients in daily clinical practice. Methods Patients’ medical records and hospital database were searched for all consecutive patients treated at our institution for breast cancer using neoadjuvant NSABP-B27 chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherapy was given at standard doses and schedule as originally reported in the NSABP-B27. Results 346 female patients (median age 51 years) were treated using this regimen. Majority had high-risk features including larger tumor size (>4 cm in 68.5%), positive axillary lymph nodes (78.3%), and Grade III disease (47.4%). While most patients tolerated and completed planned chemotherapy, 41 (11.8%) patients failed to complete all four cycles of docetaxel. Following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, complete pathological response (pCR) was achieved in 84 (25.0%) evaluable patients; pCR was higher in hormone receptor-negative disease (40.0 vs. 22.1%, p = 0.002), in patient with tumor size ≤4 cm (28.3 vs. 23.5%, p = 0.024) and in patients with node-negative disease (41.2 vs. 20.7%, p = 0.002). Age (<50 vs. ≥50) had no effect, with pCR of 24.2 and 26.4%, respectively ( p = 0.607). Breast-conserving surgery was performed in 85 (24.6%). Conclusions NSABP-B27 is an effective neoadjuvant regimen. Despite including higher risk patients, pCR is similar to the original NSABP-B27 and many other anthracycline–taxane-based regimens. Tumor size, LN status, hormone receptors status, but not age, were significant factors in achieving pCR.